Forum:"Reading order" of the Starcraft storyline as a whole
I'm interested in knowing everything about the story of Starcraft, but I'm not sure where to start. I've played Starcraft and Brood War, but there's so much not mentioned in the games that I'm missing. What I'm asking is, what's the order for reading the books and comics, and where do the games fit in with the books in the chronology of Starcraft? It depends. On one hand, the best method of reading may be in order of publishing. If you want chronology/cross reference with games/novels, it's pretty much as follows: Novels *''Uprising'': 2491, effectively a prequel to the first game. Depicts the formation of the Sons of Korhal. *''Liberty's Crusade'': 2499-2500, effectively a sidequel to Rebel Yell. *''Shadow of the Xel'Naga'': 2500, set between StarCraft and Brood War. *''Speed of Darkness'': 2499, set during the early stages of Rebel Yell. *''Queen of Blades'': 2500, effectively a sidequel to Overmind and to an extent, The Fall. *''I, Mengsk'': 2478-2502. Has some overlap with the games, but it's main purpose (arguably) is to fill out the backstories of Arcturus and Valerian. *''Heaven's Devils'': 2488-'89. Fills out the backstories of Raynor and Tychus. *''Devil's Due'': Little info. I'm guessing it takes place/ends in 2495 and covers Raynor and Tychus's outlaw years, effectively acting as a sequel to HD, but that's speculative. :Just my guess, but I suspect it could be from 2489 to 2496. PSH aka Kimera 757 (talk) ) 13:04, September 23, 2010 (UTC) *''Nova'': 2500-2503. Mainly takes place during Rebel Yell, but it's quite self-contained. Main purpose is to flesh out Nova. :It has to end in 2503, since it ends before Spectres. PSH aka Kimera 757 (talk) ) 13:04, September 23, 2010 (UTC) *''Spectres'': 2503. Gives info about Project Shadow Blade. *''Dark Templar Saga'': 2503. Effectively a prequel to StarCraft II. Manga *''Ghost Academy'': 2501. Effectively a sidequel to Nova. Gives more info about her and Tosh. *''Frontline'': 2500-'04 (depends on story). Amount of linkage varies. Some stories are self contained while others have more linkage, to works such as Ghost Academy and Wings of Liberty. :Some Frontline stories (like Twilight Archon) are set in 2500. Homecoming, while set in 2504, has prequel elements that go way back. PSH aka Kimera 757 (talk) ) 13:04, September 23, 2010 (UTC) Comics Issue 0 is in 2499, Issue 1 is mainly in 2500, rest is in 2502. There's a bit of linkage, but I'd say it's mainly self-contained. Short Stories *''Revelations'': 2499. Set during Rebel Yell. *''Hybrid'': The date isn't specified, though it's almost certainly after the Brood War and almost certainly set before the events of the Dark Templar Saga. Ties in with Uprising and gives more info on Kerrigan's past. *''Changeling'': 2504. Gives info on the changeling, doesn't take place that long before Wings of Liberty. *''Mothership'': 2500. Gives info on the motherships. *''Broken Wide'': The recording is played in 2507, but the events occur between Brood War and Wings of Liberty. Gives info on the baneling. *''Collateral Damage'': 2501/'02. Gives info on the Odin. :The date is pretty speculative. At first, it seemed like it had to take place back in 2500 (to me) but it could have gone as late as even 2503 or 2504. (The Odin was moved to Valhalla at the end of the story, and it was still there in Wings of Liberty.) It should just go under "don't know". PSH aka Kimera 757 (talk) ) 13:04, September 23, 2010 (UTC) Games *''Insurrection'' and Retribution are in 2500, during Rebel Yell and between that and Overmind respectively (give or take). :Insurrection could have started in 2499, I think (although it would have to be December at the earliest). PSH aka Kimera 757 (talk) ) 13:04, September 23, 2010 (UTC) StarCraft Adventures is pretty much in 2502, though the date's academic and as none of these products have been referenced, they're pretty much contained canon. :We don't have a good date for StarCraft Adventures at all. It's after Brood War and before Wings of Liberty, that's all. PSH aka Kimera 757 (talk) ) 13:04, September 23, 2010 (UTC) *The board games don't really have a story element to them. You're not really missing anything by not having them.--Hawki 07:54, September 23, 2010 (UTC)